Traditionally, nearly every household and business employed a landline telephone system as a form of communication. However, wireless communication has grown in popularity, such that approximately seventy percent of the households in the United States have a cellular phone or a mobile communication device, while some households no longer employ a landline. Usage of cellular phones or communication devices has also grown in businesses, but landlines are still commonly employed in office environments because they may be less expensive to use.
Having a cellular phone or mobile communication device as the only form of communication poses several unique problems. One problem is that coverage is typically provided over a limited pre-selected service area. As a consequence, there may be no service available outside of the pre-selected service area. If service is available when one travels outside the pre-selected service area, it may be very expensive.
Another problem relates to network operating efficiency in different physical environments. For example, electromagnetic signals may be unable to penetrate fully through the walls of buildings. If users of cellular phones or other mobile communication devices bring their devices inside such buildings, their devices may be unable to operate, and the quality of their services may deteriorate or terminate altogether. As a result, users are inconvenienced when traveling, working at home or inside buildings, or at other remote locations.
With the penetration of wireless communication, communications services represent the fastest growing segment of the telecommunications industry worldwide. Prior to wireless communications services, communications services were primarily offered through landline providers. In particular, the landline providers offered services that were targeted toward “business” users of their network. These business users employed communications services provided by the landline networks, which were primarily available only at the office. In addition, as business users of cellular phones moved from a central office site, to remote office locations, and to home locations, maintaining consistent, high-quality access to these services in these different physical environments may become problematic.